Softball Australia statement on the National Redress Scheme

Softball Australia is committed to providing positive, safe, and supportive environments for everyone involved in the sport. Member protection and child safeguarding are a priority for Softball Australia, and we continue to evolve our processes to support the needs of our sporting community.

In February this year, Softball Australia was officially notified that an application had been made to the National Redress Scheme (NRS), in which Softball Australia was named as an institution where child sexual abuse had allegedly taken place.

As soon as Softball Australia were notified of the application, we immediately began completing the steps required to join the NRS in the timeframe we had been given, and we continue to work with the Department of Social Services (DSS) to provide all information necessary for consideration of eligibility to join the Scheme.

We take these matters seriously and express our deepest sympathy to survivors of abuse.

Softball Australia has zero tolerance for any behaviour that puts the wellbeing of children and young people at risk.

We acknowledge there are alleged incidents that occurred historically in our sport, and are committed to ensuring the members and children in our sport are provided the best protection possible.

To support this, in February this year Softball Australia adopted the National Integrity Framework (NIF), which includes updated Member Protection and Safeguarding Children policies. We are constantly striving to inform and educate our staff of their responsibilities under the NIF, and we are working with Sport Integrity Australia on a NIF implementation and education plan for everyone in our community.

It is important to us that any person who has an integrity issue feels supported in coming forward. Members in our sport can contact Sport Integrity Australia via their hotline and online complaint form: MAKE AN INTEGRITY COMPLAINT OR REPORT | Sport Integrity Australia

Softball Australia has a dedicated senior staff member to handle member complaints, and any complaint – whether historical or contemporary – must be treated in a timely and sensitive manner. We respect the confidentiality of these processes and will never publicly disclose details about a complaint whilst it’s being investigated.